"Bastard" I muttered under my breath as I unbuckled my seatbelt and stepped out of the car, slamming the door behind me with enough force that I thought I might shatter the window glass. I didn't even acknowledge James as I stormed past him, my anger and frustration radiating outward.
I hated Shane with a passion. He started this deal, but he's not keeping his promises. I feel betrayed and frustrated because I did nothing wrong. This unfairness was making me even angrier.
Calling Lucas a "friend" might have been an understatement, given our complicated past. But I wanted to keep things straightforward, and I certainly seen this complication coming.
Plus, it was absolutely none of Shane's business. We were in a contract marriage, a temporary arrangement on paper only. And it had only been a little over five days since he pressured me into signing it. He had no right to start prying into my personal life, especially since our agreement didn't include being involved in each other's business. But then again, Shane didn't seem to care about following the rules or respecting boundaries. I mean wasn't he the one who set up cameras in my room?
He's such a—
His large hand closed around my throat, slamming my back against the cold elevator door. His fingers wrapped tightly around my neck, not cutting off my air, but the pressure was unmistakable - a threat, and a warning.
"I dare you to say that again," he growled, his eyes freezing into an icy stare. His hot breath washed over me like a challenge, making my skin prickle.
"Bastard," I mouthed, my eyes locked on his with a defiant glare, daring him to make a move. But I shouldn't have pushed my luck.
His hand clamped down on my throat, squeezing tight, and I felt my air supply dwindling.
"Sir—",
"Stay the fuck out of this, James," he spat at my only savior at the moment.
I clawed at his arms, desperate to break free, my fingernails scratching his skin as I thrashed my legs wildly in the air. But he was unyielding, his grip like a vice, and I was trapped, unable to escape his crushing hold.
"You want to be stubborn? Hmm? Listen and obey, is that so hard?" he taunted, His voice was low.
I struggled to respond, my voice barely above a whisper and coming out as a stutter. "I'm not your pet, you don't own me,"
"You're right, I don't own you," He sneered, "but as long as your father is in debt to me, you're under my control. You don't get to make decisions or have a say in anything. When I tell you to keep your mouth shut, you shut it. No drama, no tantrums. You'll do exactly as I say, whether it's eating, sleeping, or staying away from Lucas. And I swear to God, if you don't stay away from him, Ariana, I'll cut off his head and hang it on your bedroom door. Do you understand me?" His grip on my throat tightened, and my vision began to blur. I felt myself drifting away, on the verge of passing out or worse, dying. "I said, do you understand me?" he repeated, his voice a fearsome whisper in my ear. I nodded desperately, my eyes wide with fear, praying that he'd release his grip.
"Say it, say you understand, Ariana," he demanded.
"I... I understand," I stuttered before repeating. "I understand," Tears streamed down my face as I struggled to get the words out.
Finally, he released his grip, and my legs gave out beneath me. I collapsed to my knees, coughing violently as I sucked in air, desperate to replenish the oxygen I'd been denied.
He watched me, his expression unchanging, before uttering a single, curt word "Good." The elevator door dinged open behind me, and Shane strode inside, tucking his hands into his pockets and adjusting his tie with an air of nonchalance as if he hadn't just nearly choked me to death.
"Get up now," His eyes flashed with impatience. I sprang to my feet, furiously scrubbing away the tears that had betrayed me.
James reached out to help, but I shook him off with a vehemence that surprised even myself. James was complicit, and that made him no better than the man who had just nearly choked the life out of me. To me, they were all cut from the same cloth - he and Shane.
Everything else was a blur. We got out of the elevator, went through the lobby, and ended up in the penthouse. I guess I won't be touring this house anytime soon.
"Get in," he motioned to my room as he opened the door. I stepped inside, and the door slammed shut behind me, making me flinch.
Back to my prison, yay.
The first thing that came to mind was a shower. I yanked off the annoying dress, accidentally tearing it in the process. Next, I kicked off the heels, feeling a little relieved as my feet were freed. I pulled out the pins holding my hair up, letting it cascade down my back.
I shed my clothes, leaving only my pendant, and stepped into the glass-enclosed shower. The warm water cascaded down my body as I stood there, eyes closed, letting the moment wash over me. But my mind wasn't as easy to cleanse. Thoughts of Shane's threats invaded my thoughts, replaying every fearsome word he'd uttered since I signed the contract.
"This will happen to your entire family if your daddy doesn't pay me back in time."
"Forced? No, force would be holding a gun to your head, threatening your life. And I'm pretty sure I didn't do that. I didn't force you to sign those papers. You made that choice yourself, willingly."
"I won't kill you if you don't give me a reason to"
"If I catch you flushing my food down the toilet again, I'll make sure you don't live to throw another tantrum. Do you understand me?"
"Please don't piss me off tonight,"
"…And I swear to God, if you don't stay away from him, Ariana, I'll cut off his head and hang it on your bedroom door"
A single tear rolled down my cheek, and suddenly I was undone. I broke down, sobbing uncontrollably, and the sobs turned into hiccupping gasps for air.
My chest felt heavy and tight, and as I tried to wipe away my tears, my palms brushed against the cold metal ring on my finger. I yanked it off with a surge of anger and flung it away, not caring where it landed.
Shane's manipulation and control was suffocating. In just six days, he'd managed to turn my life into chaos.
An utter mess